Are services delivered by community health centers more cost-effective?
Author InfoHongli Jiang (Fudan University, Shanghai, China) Wen Chen (Fudan University, Shanghai, China) Kangning Bi (Fudan University, Shanghai, China) Xiaohua Ying (Fudan University, Shanghai, China) Abstract China has introduced a system of community health centers (CHCs) to provide primary care. To test whether services provided by such centers are more cost-effective than treatment at local higher-level hospitals, the study compared health outcomes and expenditures for patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus in three cities. We hypothesized that treating patients in stable condition at CHCs is less costly than providing treatment in higher-level hospitals with no differences in health outcomes. Results indicate that daily drug and other medical expenditures were consistently equal or lower for patients seeking treatment in CHCs than for those treated in hospitals. Patients also saved time by visiting CHCs. Health outcomes, measured as mean arterial pressure for hypertensi
